Toe spacing device



May 6, 1952 T. G. CHRISTOPOULOS TOE SPACING DEVICE Filed Dec. 22, 1948 Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics TOE SPACING DEVICE Telemachus G. Christopoulos, Lynn Haven, Va. Application December 22, 1948, Seria'l N 0. 66,603

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a device adapted to be inserted between the toes of a foot of a human being for separating the toes to facilitate the application of nail polish to the toe nails. The invention more specifically pertains to a plurality of spacing members or wedges which are flexibly held in assembled relationship for insertion between the toes of a foot so as to provide for separation of the toes during application of nail polish and during drying thereof. The toes of the human foot normally tend to lie quite close to each other and this relationship of the toes is further promoted by the use of narrow width shoes. Thus when polish in liquid form is to be applied to the toe nails in a manicuring operation there is a tendency for the polish carried by the nail of one toe to smear or to be deposited on an adjacent toe before the polish has had an opportunity to dry or set sufficiently.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a spacing member or wedge which is adapted to be inserted between two adjacent toes to separate them and the nails will thereby be separated or spaced from each other permitting the application of nail polishing material to the toe nails without danger of the polishing material engaging other of the toes and smearing the polish.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wedge member adapted to be introduced between two adjacent toes of the foot having such a shape as to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of a wedge from the position between the toes.

A further and more specific object of the invention resides in providing means for maintaining a plurality of wedge or toe spacing members in an assembled relationship so that a group of spacing members are provided for separating the toes on one foot and permitting adjustment of the position of onewedge relative to another to adapt the device to variations in dimensions and shape of the toes.

A more detailed object of the invention is to provide a pivotal mounting for a plurality of substantially rigid spacing members on an elongated strip so that the spacing members may be rotated thereon to reverse the positions of the wedges and arrange these elements for use between the toes of either foot of a human being.

Other objects andfeatures of the invention will be more apparent as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following detailed descrip- 2 tion whereinan exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing portions of toe spacing elements exhibiting the invention arranged in position between the toes of a foot.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled toe spacing device illustrating the shape of the individual wedges or spacing members.

Fig. 3 is a front end elevational view, partially in section, of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of one of the spacing elements.

Fig. '5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification of the mounting of the spacing elements.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of one of the wedges shown in Fig. 5.

The present invention is directed to a device having utility for separating the toes of an individual. In carrying out the invention a spacing element is adapted to be inserted between adjacent toes of the foot and these wedges are so shaped as to maintain the toes in a separated relationship and at the same time provide a device which is comfortable to the wearer. The spacing elements are so shaped as to be retained between the toes when placed in position therebetween to avoid inadvertent dislodgement of the spacing members. It is for this purpose and for reasons of comfort that the opposite sides of the spacing elements are concave shaped. The invention relates to the shape of one of these toe spacing members and further pertains to a group of such elements maintained in an assembled but displaceable relationship so that the device may be adapted to feet which vary in sizes and shapes and particularly in relation to the dimensions and arrangement of the toes.

Referring to the drawing there is shown at It] a spacing element or member designed to be positioned between the great or number one toe and the second toe as shown in Fig. 1. This spacing element may be formed of any suitable material, such as wood, plastic, metal, or the like. The spacer member may also be formed of rubber providing this material is sufliciently rigid as not to be displaced under the forces developed as the toes tend to move towards each other. The spacer element I0 is so shaped as to be comfortable when in position between the great toe and the number two toe and for this purpose the sides are concave-shaped as shown at H and I2 in Figs. .2 and 3. The spacer element is somewhat wedge-shaped and the rear .edge 14 is materially of less thickness than the forward or front edge [6. The rear edge [4 is, however, rounded to avoid a sharp knife-like edge at the rear to thereby prevent discomfort in the event that the wedge member engage those portions of the foot connecting the toes. The corner at the top and front of the wedge is preferably rounded or arcuate-shaped as indicated at H.

A group of such spacer elements are maintained in loose assembled relationship as shown in Fig. 2. Such an assembly forms a device for serving one foot. The wedge member or spacer element 20 is adapted to be inserted between the number two and number three toes, as shown in Fig. 1. This wedge member has an overall shape similar to that of the element H), but may be of slightly less length measured longitudinally of the wedge so as to more suitably nestle between these toes of the foot. The spacer element 20 may be of the same height as the spacer element [0. This wedge-shaped member also has concave faces as indicated at 2| and 22 in Figs. 2 and 3.

A third spacer element is shown at 30 and this wedge-shaped member is adapted to be lodged between the number three and number four toes. The wedge-shaped member 30 may be of a height corresponding to that of the element [0, but has a still shorter longitudinal dimension than that of the spacer element 20. In other respects, the wedge-shaped member 30 is similar to the previously described toe spacing members. The side faces of the member 30 are concave-shaped as indicated at 3| and 32. A further spacer element 40 completes the group for the toes of one foot. The spacer element 40 is adapted to be inserted between the fourth and fifth toes in a manner as illustrated in Fig. 1. This wedgeshaped member has a height corresponding substantially to that of the previously described wedge members. The spacer member 40 may be of the same longitudinal dimensions as the wedge member 30 so as to be comfortably accommodated between the fourth toe and little toe. The side faces of the spacer member 40 are concaveshaped as indicated at 4| and 42.

A toe spacing device exhibiting the invention includes means for maintaining the four spacer elements in assembled relationship. Such means may include a flexible and elastic strip 45 which may be formed of elastic tape, rubber or the like. The tape or elastic strip 45 is secured to the wedges and maintains these elements in a group and thereby provides an appliance which is adaptable for serving for the separation of all of the toes of one foot. Suitable means may be employed for attaching the spacer elements to the tape or strip 45 and in the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 4, each of these spacer elements is provided with a stud or short shaft 45 which depends from the lower edge 41 of each wedge member and may be integral therewith. The shaft is provided with an annular groove 48 as more clearly shown in Fig. 4. The shaft 46 is adapted to extend through an opening 49 in the strip 45 which is of a smaller diameter than the shaft 46. The rubber-like material may be readily distorted to dilate the opening 49 and permit the stud or shaft 46 to be introduced through the aperture in the tape or strip 45. The spacer member i is thereby retained on the tape and is free for rotation about the axis of the stub shaft 45. A similar mounting arrangement is provided for each of the other wedge members, so that these spacer elements are thereby maintained on the tape 45 in a manner as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The spacer elements in the position shown in Fig. 2 are adapted for use on the left foot of a wearer. Each of the spacer elements may be rotated about the axis of its shaft 46 whereby the position of the narrower edges [4 thereof will be reversed from those shown in Fig. 2, so that the appliance is then adapted for use between the toes of the right foot of the wearer.

Other means may be employed for maintaining the spacer elements in assembled relationship and theflexible and elastic strip 45 serves the purpose of permitting the spaces between the wedge elements to be altered by elongating the elastic strip'45 between any two wedge members and this flexible material also permits the wedge members to be moved closer to each other and thereby adapt the device to toes of different dimensions and spacing. The concave faces on the sides of the wedge members conform in part to the arcuate periphery of the toes, so that there is no tendency for the individual spacer elements to be dislodged from the positions shown in Fig. 1. The toes are thereby separated to facilitate the application and drying of nail polish applied to the toe nails. The device may be worn and the wearer may walk with the appliance in position without discomfort. The strap 45 may be formed as a thin strip of any inelastic material so as to be flexible and such an arrangement equally serves to maintain the spacer members in assembled relationship. The wedges may be pivotally mounted on the strip in any suitable manner for reversing the position of the wedges and thereby adapting the device to use on either foot.

A modification is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein an eyelet 5| is carried by the lower portion of each of the spacer elements. A" hole or aperture 52 is provided in each of these eyelets through which a thread 53 extends as shown in Fig. 5. The thread 53 may be formed of rubber or the like so as to be elastic and may be knotted at the ends, as shown at 54, to prevent the escape of the spacer elements from the strand 53. In other respects the wedge or spacer elements of this embodiment are the same as those described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific materials and with regard to details in the shape and structure of the spacing elements and with reference to means for maintaining these elements in assembled relationship, it is apparent that changes may be made in the details as well as the general organization. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for maintaining the toes of a foot in separated relationship comprising, a plurality of rigid wedge-shaped members adapted to be inserted between the toes of the foot, a rigid element integral with and projecting from an edg of each wedge-shaped member, and a sole elongated flexible elastic member connecting said elements of the wedge-shaped members.

2. In a device for temporarily maintaining the toes of a foot in separated relationship while the toe nails are manicured, a wedge-shaped toe spacing element adapted to be arranged between adjacent toes of a foot, said wedge-shaped ele.

ment being formed of substantially rigid material so as to be non-displaceable under the forces applied against opposite faces of the wedge-shaped element as the toes tend to move towards each other, a rigid member integral with and projecting from an edge of said element, and said wedge-shaped element having opposite faces thereof concave-shaped.

3. A device for temporarily maintaining the toes of a foot in separated relationship while toe nail polish is applied thereto comprising, a plurality of rigid wedge-shaped members adapted to be arranged between adjacent toes of a foot, each of said wedge-shaped members having opposite faces thereof concave-shaped, said wedgeshaped members being sufiiciently rigid so as to be non-displaceable under the forces applied against the concave faces as the toes'tend to move towards each other, an element integral with and projecting from an edge of each of said wedgeshaped members, and a sole elongated flexible elastic member connecting said elements.

4. A device for temporarily maintaining the toes of a foot in separated relationship while toe nail polish is applied thereto comprising, a plurality of rigid wedge-shaped members adapted to be arranged between adjacent toes of a foot, each of said wedge-shaped members having opposite faces thereof concave-shaped, said wedgeshaped members being sufiiciently rigid so as to be non-displaceable under the forces applied against the concave faces as the toes tend to move towards each other, a stud shaft projecting from an edge of each of said wedge-shaped members, each stud shaft having an annular groove therein, an elastic strip having holes therein at spaced intervals of smaller diameter than said stud shafts, and each of the stud shafts extending through one opening in said strip with each annular groove aligned with the strip.

5. A device for temporarily maintaining the toes of a foot in separated relationship while toe nail polish is applied thereto according to claim 1, wherein each rigid element is in the form of an eyelet and the flexible elastic member is in the form of a flexible thread extending through all of said eyelets.

TELEMACHUS G. CHRISTOPOULOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

